Stephane Aviron Fleurie Domaine de la Madrière Vieilles Vignes 2020

Winemaker/owner Stéphane Aviron produces traditional, terroir-driven, distinctive wines from all of the important cru's in Beaujolais. His family has hailed from the Beaujolais region in Burgundy for many generations, and winegrowing is clearly in his blood. We have enjoyed his wines many times at home, with friends and family. Never overpowering, beautifully aromatic, and perfectly polished, it is one of the Bottle Shop's favorite estates in France.   

Fleurie is one of the top crus in Beaujolais producing wines of deep fruit and great structure. Stéphane Aviron’s Fleurie is sourced from a family-owned hillside vineyard on the western side of the appellation, “La Mandone.” This famed vineyard features very steep slopes with granite soils that requires all work and harvesting to be done by hand. The vines here are very old, between 55 and 90 years in age.  

Vinification: Grapes are handpicked and sorted upon arrival at the winery. Whole bunches are fermented and then macerated in temperature-controlled stainless-steel vats for seven days. For the élévage, the wine is aged in large, neutral oak barrels, also known as foudres, that are 50 hectoliters in size (over 1300 gallons) for 12 months.

Stéphane Aviron has adopted an almost radical return to tradition in Beaujolais: sustainable and organic viticulture, extremely old vines and classic Burgundian techniques. His cru Beaujolais drink like fine Burgundy.  Historically considered 'poor man’s Burgundy,' a modern movement toward fruity, simple, quaffing wines (instigated by the mega Georges Duboeuf brand) boosted sales but eroded the region’s traditional quality. Stéphane Aviron has reversed that trend. By focusing on the Beaujolais village crus, the best sites for unique, expressive wines, and finding old parcels of vines, Aviron creates very expressive, age-worthy wines relying on traditional and new methods, including organic and biodynamic vineyard management. All wines are labeled “Vieilles Vignes,” old vines, because the vines are at least 40 years old. Stéphane Aviron’s wines are authentic in every way.